June 21, 2012

Nine-city tour features Rebel Youth writer, CLASSE members and other student leaders

The Quebec student struggle is marching to Ontario! (Photo: Ottawa and Gatineu student and labour activists join forces meeting on the bridge between these two cities in Ontario and Quebec)A massive student struggle is rocking Quebec, bringing hundreds of thousands of people into the streets for accessible education, democracy and a life with a future.

The chant has been heard around the world -- Student strike, people`s struggle!

Come out and join us for a panel discussion about the Quebec students featuring activists with CLASSE and other student militants from Quebec.

With a quarter of a million people marching in the streets of Montreal
for three months in a row, a broad and powerful united resistance has
developed and is shaking Quebec. Despite over a thousand arrests,
police violence, and disturbing anti-democratic laws brought-in by the
Charest Liberal government, the students have held strong.

Come hear first-hand accounts and analysis explaining how the strike
grew from a campaign calling for access to education into a people’s
struggle for democracy and a better Quebec. As federal and provincial
austerity budgets impact hard in Ontario, how can we build solidarity
as well as a broad, united and growing movement here in Ontario?

*** ABOUT THE SPEAKERS ***

JÉRÉMIE BÉDARD-WIEN
Jérémie Bédard-Wien is a member of the Executive Committee of la
CLASSE, the main Quebec student union central which has helped lead
the campaign for accessible, quality, public and free post-secondary
education in Quebec. Financial Secretary of la CLASSE, Jérémie also
works directly with the committee of mobilization. He brings several
years of political and organizational experience working with Quebec
student unions to coordinate, reinforce and build the movement.

AUDREY DEVEAULT
Audrey Deveault is the Chairperson of the Dawson Students’ Union at
Cégep Dawson. Born and raised in Montreal, Deveault became active in
her student’s union at age 17 and has participated in many campaigns,
protest and occupations during the student mobilizations. An outspoken
voice on her campus for accessible education, Audrey brings grassroots
experience of debating with fellow students and mobilizing on an
largely Anglophone campus. Deveault also sits on the National
Executive of the Canadian Federation of Student’s as the Quebec
representative.

MARIANNE BRETON FONTAINE
Marianne Breton Fontaine is a former executive member of the student
union at Cégep du Vieux Montréal and is currently studying at UQAM.
Editor of Jeunesse Militante magazine and Quebec correspondent for
Vancouver's Co-op Radio morning news show, she has written about the
current student struggle from a feminist and class perspective in the
context of the current global economic crisis. Marianne is also a
member and candidate for Quebec Solidaire, a left-wing political party
in the National Assembly of Quebec which has been outspoken defender
of the student strike and proponent of free education.